Public Open House - Chestonia Bridge over Jordan River

NEWS RELEASE – For Immediate Release

Rich Hill, District Supervisor
Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Parks and Recreation
1732 West M-32, Gaylord, MI 49735
989-732-3541 Hillr5@michigan.gov

Burt Thompson, Engineer-Manager
Antrim County Road Commission
319 East Lincoln Street, P.O. Box 308, Mancelona, MI 49659
231-587-8521 bthompson@antrimcrc.org

Kimberly Balke, Project Manager Conservation Resource Alliance
10850 Traverse Highway, #1180, Traverse City, MI 49684
231-946-6817 kim@rivercare.org

Public Open House - Chestonia Bridge over Jordan River Future Recreational Access Site

East Jordan, Michigan, February 13, 2017 – Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) is hosting a public open house on Monday, March 6, 2017 from 4-7 pm at the Community Auditorium of East Jordan High School at 101 Maple Street, East Jordan, MI 49727. MDNR staff will be on hand to provide information and gather input regarding the preliminary, conceptual design of a future recreational access at the Chestonia Bridge site where Old State Road crosses the Jordan River. Existing state land at the southwest corner of the Old State Road crossing provides an exceptional opportunity to accommodate public use on public land. The upcoming construction of a new concrete box culvert at Cokirs Creek will provide a two-lane entrance to a future recreational access site that is usable by various recreationists including paddlers, river guides, and snowmobilers.

Updated information will also be available for the separate, but parallel project of replacing the existing 16’ wide culverts where Old State Road crosses the Jordan River and the nearby snowmobile bridge on Cokirs Creek. Antrim County Road Commission and contractor, Grand River Construction, will begin construction at these two sites on Monday, February 27, 2017. At Old State Road there will be a new concrete full span bridge that will have a 90’ long deck, 34’ clear road width including two 11’ wide lanes and 6’ wide shoulders. At Cokirs Creek there will be a concrete box measuring 14’ wide, 28’ long, and 11’ high recessed 2’ into stream bottom. This project will require a portion of the road be closed to all traffic and a detour route will be signed. Traffic can expect to resume use of this portion of Old State Road in early July 2017, with the exact date to be posted on the ACRC website. Paddling through the project area will be restricted during key work items such as culvert removals, coffer dams, beam and deck setting. For the latest traffic and river paddling information related to this location, please visit http://www.antrimcrc.org/old-state-road-bridge-over-the-jordan-river-construction.

Since 2013, the bridge project has been a joint effort with Conservation Resource Alliance (CRA) and multiple funders and partners to improve fish passage, reduce streambank erosion, and restore a natural stream channel. Both design and construction of Chestonia Bridge and Cokirs Crossing is estimated at $1.27M and is being funded by 12 different entities and programs that are federal, tribal, state, private and local in nature. CRA is a private, non-profit organization involved with watershed management projects throughout a 13-county region in northwest Michigan; more information can be found at http://www.rivercare.org/news/construction-news-and-open-house-for-chestonia-bridge-on-the-jordan-river.

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Signage of the current Chestonia Bridge walk-in access site on the Jordan River, upstream of the Old State Rd culverts.

The current double 16’ wide culverts that sit where Old State Road crosses the Jordan River are slated for removal this spring.